The Government has issued a new decree regulating the fines imposed for violations in the livestock breeds, feed and fishery products sectors.

It will be effective on 22 June this year and will replace Decree 119/2013/ND-CP dated 9 October, 2013, on administrative fines in the domain of veterinary medicine, livestock breeds and livestock feeds.

According to the new decree, the fines imposed for using banned substances on animals while producing, processing and selling livestock feed will be changed.

The current Decree 119/2013/ND-CP imposes fines between 5 million VND (US$220) and 100 million VND ($4,400) on these violations.

In the new decree, these will increase to 50 million VND- 100 million VND on the use of banned substances on animals and fishery products, depending on the products’ values.

The violating individuals or organisations will be forced to dispose the banned substances or feed and products containing banned substances.

The operations of the breeding facilities will be suspended from 6 to 12 months.

The current regulation suspends the violating facilities’ operations for one to three months only.

The new decree also mentions the highest level of administrative punishment imposed for livestock breeds’ violations —50 million VND for individuals and 100 million VND for organisations.

The maximum fine level for violations in livestock feed and fishery products applicable to infringing individuals will be 100 million VND and applicable to infringing organisations will be 200 million VND($8,800).

Besides violations in using banned substances, the violations stated in the decree include the use of anti-biotic in livestock breeds and fishery products; and management and preservation of livestock’s genes, among others.

(Source: VNS)